


Final Farewell (Something About Us)

by FandomLastsForever



Series: Musical May [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Inspired by Music, Lost Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 05:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10802532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLastsForever/pseuds/FandomLastsForever
Summary: I need you more than anything in my lifeI want you more than anything in my lifeI'll miss you more than anyone in my lifeI love you more than anyone in my lifeJames and Qrow go on a mission together, but in the end someone has to say goodbye.





	Final Farewell (Something About Us)

**Author's Note:**

> First Entry for Ironqrow week, based on the prompt "Final Farewell".  
> Also Inspired by Daft Punk's "Something About Us".

_"It's not fair...It's just not fair..."_

The two of them were holed up in an abandoned school house as the darkness slowly started to surround them. Neither had the strength to keep fighting. Their ammo had run out very quickly. James's Aura had long since depleted, and Qrow barely had enough to keep the general in a semi-stable state. James was low on power for his prosthetics, he was slowly bleeding out, and there was no first aid kit anywhere near them. A Deathstalker claw had given him a nasty gash in the left leg.

There was no way Qrow could stop the bleeding.

"James," Qrow whimpered, tying his cape around the wound. "Please, stay with me."

"Qrow," James croaked. "It's no good...I'm not gonna make it..."

"Don't you fucking say that!" Qrow hissed. "We're getting out of this. We're going to get you back to Atlas, I swear."

James gave him a tender smile as he shakily reached up to take Qrow's hand in his. Metal entwined with flesh as he gently pulled the red-eyed Hunter close. Qrow stared down at his face, trying hard not to burst into tears.

James skin was far too pale. His cheeks were hollow, and his beautiful, crystal clear eyes were sunken in pain. With his free hand, Qrow gently caressed his cheek, appreciating the feel of the stubble against his knuckles.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I should never have come back...This is my fault..."

"Now don't you fucking say that," James chuckled. "You couldn't have known."

"But my Semblance-"

"Fuck that too," he groaned. "Qrow...a Semblance isn't everything...I should know..."

Qrow nodded, feeling the burn of tears in his eyes. "I guess..."

James gently ran his free hand through Qrow's feathery locks, the feeling soothing against the leaner man's scalp. The howls that filled the background were slowly drawing closer.

"We're gonna make it," he assured Qrow. "We'll get back to Atlas together...And then we'll go to dinner..."

Qrow's eyes darted about in confusion, not sure whether to focus on James or the sound of incoming Grimm. "D-dinner?"

"Dinner," James whispered. "We'll go to that nice little pub you like...we'll get drunk, and wander back to my place...And then we'll conk out on the sofa watching those garbage action movies you like..."

"Now you're just being silly," Qrow laughed softly. "You hate action flicks, you rom-com nerd."

"True," James coughed. "But I'm willing to watch a thousand of them with you...that's just...how much I..."

James slowly started to drift to sleep. Qrow felt the color draining from his own face as he gave James a hard shake to keep him awake.

"James," Qrow muttered. "What were you saying? How much you what?"

"How much," James repeated softly. "How much I...love you..."

And that sent the tears spilling over.

"James," Qrow whimpered. "You idiot...why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"I...don't know," he admitted. "I guess I was...too afraid you'd...you'd say you didn't feel the same..."

"Fucking stupid tinman," Qrow sobbed, leaning down to place a kiss on James' lips.

James' eyes flew open for a moment, but he melted into it so naturally, it was as if they'd done it a thousand times.

It was their first.

But hopefully not the last.

Qrow gently pulled back, only for James to pull him in again. The taste of dirt, iron, and salt mixed in with every languid movement.

And for a while, the two of them stayed like that. Taking turns pulling each other close, sharing kisses and "I love you's" as the sound of the Grimm faded in and out. Time felt as if it passed slowly, as if night passed into day, and again into night within the span of only an hour. It was a struggle to keep James from falling asleep for too long.

"Hey James," Qrow muttered hoarsely.

"Mh?" James replied softly.

"When we get home...let's take a vacation..."

"Vacation," James repeated back, eyes closed as his head rested against Qrow's shoulder.

"Yeah," Qrow rambled. "Let's go back to Patch. You and me. We can see if Tai would let us stay. If not, we can get a hotel or something. You and me, we can go to the beach, have picnics, read books by the fire. Oh, and there's lots of nice restaurants too. You'd probably like it there."

"Yeah," James mumbled. "I bet I would..." He gently looked up, his eyes now starting to dull. "Qrow?"

"Yeah, Jim?"

"I love you, Qrow...more than anyone..."

Qrow smiled, and placed a gentle kiss to his temple.

"I love you too, James..."

James managed a small, heartfelt grin as his breathing began to slow.

"Good night...Qrow..."

"G-good night?"

James' arms slowly began to go limp as the power cells in his right side finally began to run out of power. His breathing came to a halt with a gentle sigh.

"James?" Qrow croaked. "C-come on. This isn't funny. Wake up." Qrow gently shook him, trying hard to keep from breaking down. "James please. Wake up. The rescue team is going to be here any minute now. Jimmy, come on!"

James remained still.

Qrow began to panic as he made sure James was laying flat, placing his hands where he was taught and began to perform CPR.

"James, wake up!" he insisted, tears streaming from his eyes. "Jimbo, come on!"

But there was no response.

**_"James, please!"_ ** he screamed. **_"James, come on! Don't die on me here! Not now!"_**

He didn't know when it had happened, but the sound of everything began to fade. There were two, maybe three sets of arms pulling him away. He kicked and screamed, trying so hard to get back to James.

There was a sharp pain in his neck, most likely from a needle.

And everything faded to black.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It had been almost three months since the confession.

Three months since the first, and final, kiss.

Qrow arrived at the memorial in Atlas, holding a bouquet of primroses. He had his favorite scarf wrapped tightly around him to protect from the cold. He wore a long black trench coat, a nice suit, and a pair of white gloves.

There wasn't anyone else there at the time. It was just him, all alone.

And he liked it that way.

There was something he had to say, and he had to do it alone.

Slowly, he approached the memorial, red-eyed stare distant and yearning. The digital image flickered in the snow. A permanent hologram of the beloved General standing tall for all to see, turning its head every so often, and giving the people a proud bow.

It made Qrow very uncomfortable seeing James' likeness in such a manner.

But he understood why it was there. It was to give Atlas comfort.

And in a way, it was better he was uncomfortable around the hologram.

_It made it easier to let go._

"Hey James," he mumbled. "It's been a while." He lay the flowers at the feet of the hologram. "I brought flowers for your birthday. I'd have brought cake, but...well...You know..."

The hologram tilted its head as if listening.

"I uh," Qrow stammered. "I needed to come here today because...I'm...I'm going on a mission again...New horde and all...Tai's coming with this time, so...there's that." He bit his lower lip, trying to stay strong. "I wanted...I wanted to come say goodbye. I don't know where I'll end up after this job, and I don't know if I'll ever come back...there's a pretty good chance I might die on this one..." He let out a hollow laugh. "You know that all too well, don't you?"

If he didn't know any better, Qrow could have sworn the hologram was nodding.

"So I...I came to say goodbye...I didn't get to do that last time we were face to face...I've been in recovery for a while, and your little tribute thing only appeared last week...I...I'm sorry, Jim..." Qrow took a deep breath to compose himself. "I didn't save you...I didn't tell you how I felt sooner...I...I always felt there was something about us but...I never acted on it...and it's my deepest regret..."

The hologram James bowed, and Qrow felt his knees growing week.

"James," Qrow concluded softly. "I loved you more than anything. More than anyone. I needed you...I wanted you...and I still do..." He gripped his scarf tightly, trying not to crumble. "I still do...But...I need to move forward for now...so...I want you to wait for me okay? I'll see you soon but...for now...It's time to say goodbye..."

Qrow quickly turned away, walking back toward the way he came. There was a soft gust of wind, and the sound of a whisper in his ear.

_"Farewell, my dear Qrow. Please stay safe. I love you."_

Qrow looked back to the hologram, eyes wide in shock as he saw the hologram-

No, he told himself.

He saw _James_ , waving goodbye from where he'd left the flowers.

With a smile, and a slowly mending heart, Qrow waved farewell.

"I love you too, James."

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't have anything planned for Ironqrow week at all until I put my playlist on shuffle. I'm so glad I got this posted before midnight.
> 
> I hope you liked it!


End file.
